Roof structure



Aug. 13, 1940.

J. c. P. LEEMHUIS 2,210,941

ROOF STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l l N V E N TOR Joke/Mes CFLeem/zwfs 5v ZZ ATTOR NEY g 3. 1940- i J. c. P. LEEMHUIS 2. 0.941

ROOF STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v EN TO 2. /7 7 a, 47 I 7- 4 Jofiaxmes 6F Leemfiu/ls BY wmzaw ATTOR NEY 13, 1 J. c. P. LEEMHUIS 2210,94]

ROOF STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOIZ Jaamres CF lee/276403 I BY%-7//W ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED v STATES PA ENT fOFFlCE ROOF STRUCTURE Johannes C. Ileenihuis, Los Angeles, Calif.

' Application February'Z'I, 1939, SerialNo. 258,633

' 10 Claims. (Cl. 108-10 This invention relates to a structure for roofs.

More-particularly it relates to a structure formed by the aid of a series of overlapping precast plates, somewhat in the nature of shingles or tile.

It is one of the objects of this invention to make it possible to provide a roof structure that is inexpensive and that may be readily assembled. a For this purpose, the plates are preferably made fromreenforced concrete. Furthermore,

purpose the plates are arranged to-be supported on spaced rafters, the top edges of which are provided withchannel-like drains.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a roof plate of simple structure that can be readily utilized in a roof structure of the char- 95 acter set forth hereinbefore.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of several' embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown a few forms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification'. These forms, which illustrate the general principles of the invention, will now be described in-detail; but it is to be understood 7 that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is-a fragmentary sectional View, taken along plane l l of Fig. 3, and illustrating a portion of the roof structure, and the manner in which the roof plates may be assembled;

2'is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but

taken along plane 22 of Fig. 3; Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are respectively sectional views taken along correspondingly numbered I planes of Fig. 1; I Fig. '7-is a bottom view of one of the roof plates; Fig. 8 is afragmentary enlarged sectional view of a modified form of the invention;

'Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a roof incorporating the invention;

Fig. 10 is detail pictorial view, partly in section,

illustrating the manner in which a gutter may besup'ported at the'eaves of the roof;

in order to make it possible to use-plates of very Fig. 11 is a pictorial View, partly in' section, illustrating the manner in which the ridge of the roof 'structure'may be constructed;

. Fig. 12 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 4 but of astill further modified form of the invention; and a Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional iew adjacent the eaves of the roof, illustrating one manner in which the lowermost roof plates may be re'-'* strained against downward movement. 1

The roof plates l shown in all the figuresare of general rectangular configuration. They are illustrated in the present instance as formed of concrete or other plastic material as by the aid" of casting. The main body portion presents an exterior flat surface which is intended to form the exposedroof surface; Adjacent each side of the. body portion are respectively the side flanges 2 and 3. Each roof plate is furthermore provided with a forwardly extending portion or extension 4 (Figs. 1, 2, 7, 10 and 13); The flanges 2 and 3, although'they extend to the rear edge 5 of the roof platefdo not extend beneath'the extension 4. As illustrated most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the extensions 4 overlap the rear edges 5 of the next adjacent'roof plate to provide a shingle effect.

In order further to' strengthen the structure as well as to provide a means for anchoring adjacent roof plates together, the roof plates are each provided with downwardly directed portions adjacent the front and rear edge. Thus at the rear there is a flange-like downwardly directed member 6 and there is a correspondingly downwardly directed member 'l'adjacent the front edge of the plate Thesefianges are shown tobest advantage in Figs. 3, 4 and '7. A transverse rib 8 extends centrally of the roof plate I at its under side. Extending on each side of therib 8 are a number of oblique ribs such as 9, l 0, I l and I2. There is a continuation I3 of the rib .8 between the ,front downwardly extended portion and the ribs II and I2.

In order to anchor the adjacent plates together, each rear extension 6 of the plateis provided with an aperture I4 which extends into the central rib 8. A corresponding through aperture I5 is provided through the front downwardly extended portion 1. Anchor pins l6 are shown as passing through these apertures.

If desired, the lower edges of the flanges 2 and 3 and the extensions 6 and I may be grooved as indicated for example at I! (Fig. 2). A similar. groove I8 is indicated on the bottom of the extension 4'. At the top rear edge 5 a similar groove i9 is also shown. These grooves provide adequate drainage provisions.

The manner in which the series of roof plates may be supported on roof rafters may be best explained in connection with Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. Rafters 20, shown in this form as of wood, may be spaced apart corresponding to the width of a plate I, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. On the top of each of these rafters there is located a trough support 2|, as of sheet metal. This trough support is wide enough so that the bottoms of the flanges 2 and 3 of adjacent plates may rest therein. A slight clearance such as indicated at 22 in Fig. 3 may be provided between adjacent flanges 2 and 3 of adjacent plates. The trough 2|, however, acts to drain ofi any moisture which may flow through the clearance openings 22. These clearance openings 22 as shown most clearly in Fig. 9 extend longitudinally of the rafters. Transverse to the rafters, of course, the overlapping extensions 4 prevent moisture from entering underneath the plates. The ribs 8, 9, IO, N, I2 and |3,'in addition to their serving as strengthening ribs, also provide guides for condensed moisture to flow centrally and downward ly toward the front downwardly extending portions 1.

The manner in which the ribs and grooves operate to drain moisture of condensation that may form on the various surfaces may be briefly outlined. The groove l9, for example, adjacent the back of the plate guides the moisture to the troughs 2|. It further ensures against the retention of any moisture by capillary attraction between the overhanging extension 4 and the back edge of the lower plate. Similarly, rib 8 serves to guide the moisture downwardly to transverse ribs and I2; these in turn guide the moisture to the side flanges 2 and 3 and into the-troughs. Rib-s 9 and I serve as guides for the moisture onto central rib 8. Rib l3 starts at a higher level (Figs. 1 and 7) and breaks the flow downward and spreads it to the side flanges 2 and 3, and thence into the troughs. Groove l8, may be utilized for caulking.

The flanges 2 and 3, however, do not rest along their entire bottom edges upon the bottom of the trough 2|. As shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the front portion of the flanges 2 and 3 s1ope slightly upwardly as indicated by the line 23. In this way, the flow of moisture into the troughs 2| is unimpeded. In addition, the front and rear projections I and respectively are arranged to rest upon the top edges of the troughs 2|. This is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

extend around the rafters 23 and through appropriately formed aperturesin the-rear. extensions 6. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, one continuous bindingvvire may pass through both rear extensions 6 of adjacent plates In order further to restrain the series of roof plates from sliding downward on the sloping rafters 2t, appropriate provisions therefor may be made as indicated in Fig. 13, adjacent the eaves of the structure. In this figure the trough 2| is shown as being provided with projections 25 1 adapted to engage the front downwardly extending portion l of the lowermost plate I.

A gutter arrangement-may also be provided by the aid of brackets 26 interposed between the bottom of the gutter 2| and the rafter 20. Upon these bracketsmay be disposed the gutter 21.

The gutter 2! may be supported in other ways. For example, in the form shown in Fig. 10, the gutter brackets 28 may be supported at intervals on each downward extension I along the eaves, as by the aid of bolts 29.

At the ridge of the roof the rear downwardly extending projections 6 form a narrow pocket as illustrated in Fig. .11. In order to cover this pocket and to prevent the ingress of moisture, ordinary tile 3may be placed in overlapped relation as a coping over this space and held in place for example by grouting 3|. In valleys conventional metal flashing may be used.

It is not essential to utilize wood rafters. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 the rafter structure is-provided by a concrete beam 32 appropriately reinforced as indicated at 33. In this enlarged figure there are also indicated the reinforcing elements 34 which may, if desired, be utilized within the plate I. It is possible in this form so to shape the top edge of the rafter structure 32 as to provide a trough 35 within, which the flanges 2 and 3 of adjacent plates may be accom modated.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig.

l2, the rafter 36 may be made from structural metal somewhat in the nature of an I-beam. Its upper. edge may-be formed into a trough 31 for the accommodation of the adjacent flanges 2 and 3 of the platesl.

What is claimed is:

1. In a roof plate, a body portion, flanges along one pair of opposite sides, an overhanging.exten sion for the body portion transverse to the flanges, downwardly extending portions respectively adjacentthe front and rear edges of the body portion, one of said portions being to the rear of said extension, there being an aperture in each of said downwardly extending portions for accommodation of anchoring pins between the downwardly extending portions of adjacent plates, and a mois ture collecting rib extending between said downwardly extending portions.

2. In a roof structure adapted to be utilized in connection with spaced supporting rafters or beams, a trough supported on each of the beams, a series of overlapping plates having side flanges extending into said troughs, andextensions carried near the top and bottom edges of the plate and having lower edges adapted to rest on the upper edges of the trough,

3. In a roof structure adapted to be utilized in connection with spaced supporting rafters or beams, a trough supported on each of the beams,

a series of overlapping plates having side flanges extending into said troughs, extensions carried near the top and bottom edges of the plate and having lower edges adapted to rest on the upper edges of the trough, and means cooperating with the lowermost plates for restraining them from downward movement.

4. In a roof structure adapted to be utilized in connection with spaced supporting rafters or beams, a trough supported on each of the beams, a series of overlapping plates having side flanges extending into said troughs, extensions carried near the top and bottom edges of the plate and having lower edges adapted to rest on the upper edges of the trough, and anchor members carried at the ends of the troughs and adapted .to'cooperate with the extensions of the lowermost plates for restraining downward movement of'the plates.

5. In a roof plate, a body portion, flanges respectively adjacent the side edges of the body portion, a downwardly extending portion adjacent the front edge of the body portion, said side flanges meeting said downwardly extending portion, and a moisture guiding rib on the lower surface of the plate, and extending from the rear toward the downwardly extending portion.

6. In a roof plate, a body portion, flanges respectively adjacent the side edges of the body portion, a downwardly extending portion adjacent the front edge of the body portion, said side flanges meeting said downwardly extending portion, a moisture guiding rib on the lower surface of the plate, and extending from the rear toward the downwardly extending portion, and transverse ribs joined to the said moisture guiding rib and respectively extending substantially to the side flanges.

7. In a roof plate, a body portion, flanges respectively adjacent the side edges of the body portion, a downwardly extending portion adjacent the front edge of the body portion, said side flanges meeting said downwardly extending portion, a moisture guiding rib on the lower surface of the plate, and extending from the rear toward the downwardly extending portion, transverse ribs joined to the said moisture guiding rib and respectively extending substantially to the side flanges, and supplemental transverseribs also joined to said moisture guiding rib.

8. In a roof plate, a body portion, flanges respectively adjacent the side edges of the body portion, a downwardly extending portion adjacent the front edge of the body, and a series of ribs for guiding moisture to the side flanges, including 35 a rib on the lower surface of the plate, and extending from the rear to near the downwardly extending portion, and substantially central of the plate, a pair of transverse ribs extending from near the front end of the said central rib to the side flanges, a supplemental pair. of transverse ribs joining an intermediate point of the central rib, and a continuation of the central rib ex tending to the downwardly extending portion,

and increasing in depth as the said downwardly extending portion is approached.

9. In a roof plate, a body portion, a downwardly extending portion adjacent the front edge of the body, and a forwardly extending projection extending considerably beyond the downwardly extending portion, there being a transverse drainage groove adjacent the rear edge of the plate and on its upper surface and extending to the side edges, said drainage groove being adapted to be overlaid by the forwardly extending projection of an adjacent roof plate, and serving to obviate retention of moisture by capillary attraction between the overlapping portions of the plates.

10. In a roof covering structure, a series of sets of over-plates overlapping at the front and rear edges, each of said plates having side flanges, as well as a front downwardly extending portion transverse to the side flanges and joined to said side flanges, there being moisture guiding ribs on the lower surface of the plate for leading the collected moisture downwardly and to the side flanges, and a supporting trough disposed below the side flanges of adjacent sets of plates.

JOI-IANN'ES C. P. LEEMHUIS. 

